housed in barracks nor subject to full military discipline . even after significant reforms in the 1870s — including the expansion of the permanent forces to include engineer and artillery units — they remained too small and un ##balance ##d to be considered armies in the modern sense . by 1885 , the forces numbered 21 @ , @ 000 men . although they could not be compelled to serve overseas many volunteers subsequently did see action in a number conflicts of the british empire during the 19th century , with the colonies raising contingent ##s to serve in sudan , south africa and china . despite a reputation of colonial inferior ##ity , many of the locally raised units were highly organised , disciplined , professional ,
housed in barracks nor subject to full military discipline. even after significant reforms in the 1870s — including the expansion of the permanent forces to include engineer and artillery units — they remained too small and unbalanced to be considered armies in the modern sense. by 1885, the forces numbered 21 @, @ 000 men. although they could not be compelled to serve overseas many volunteers subsequently did see action in a number conflicts of the british empire during the 19th century, with the colonies raising contingents to serve in sudan, south africa and china. despite a reputation of colonial inferiority, many of the locally raised units were highly organised, disciplined, professional,